Akpabio names committee chairs for development commissions in minor reshuffle

Former Governor of Abia State, Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu, was named on Tuesday to head the Senate Committee on South-East Development Commission (SEDC).

A similar position was given to Sen. Babangida Hussaini (APC, Jigawa North-West), who now chairs the Senate Committee on North-West Development Commission (NWDC).

Another lawmaker, Sen. Titus Zam (APC, Benue North-West), will head the Senate Committee on North-Central Development Commission (NCDC).

Sen. Kenneth Eze (APC, Ebonyi-Central) will serve as Kalu’s deputy on the SEDC committee, while Sen. Isa Jibrin (APC, Kogi-East) will be the deputy to Sen. Zam on the NCDC committee.

The lawmakers were appointed to lead the committees by the President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, during plenary.

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This development followed the signing into law of the bills establishing the respective commissions by President Bola Tinubu.

The Senate committees are tasked with overseeing the activities of the commissions, including their budgets and projects.

Akpabio also reshuffled the leadership of some standing committees, resulting in Sen. Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi-Central) now heading the Senate Committee on FERMA.

Ningi, until the latest reshuffle, chaired the Committee on National Population and NIMC.

Kogi-Central senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, was moved from the Committee on Local Content to chair the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organizations.

Anambra-Central senator, Victor Umeh, who previously chaired the Committee on Diaspora/NGOs, was succeeded by Akpoti-Uduaghan, while Umeh takes over from Ningi as the chair of the Committee on National Population/NIMC.

Other changes include Sen. Garba Maidoki, who replaces Sen. Abdulrahman Suleiman Kawu as Chairman of the Committee on Sports Development, and Sen. Joel Thomas, who is the new chairman of the Committee on Local Content.